SAN FRANCISCO − What probably won’t be a very robust NFL free agent market a month from now is apparently already losing some luster.

According to ESPN, the Dallas Cowboys plan to apply the franchise tag to wideout George Pickens, whose rookie contract is set to expire in March. Acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers after last year’s draft, Pickens responded with a career season − his 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches all career highs.

The franchise tag for wide receivers in 2025 was roughly $24 million but will doubtless increase by a few million this year.

‘I feel like, if anything, it went up,’ Pickens told the Cowboys’ website earlier this week during the Pro Bowl Games when asked about his price tag for 2026.

‘But me personally, my value is just a playmaker type of guy. I feel like any team or wherever I play, I can be playing in Canada, I just want them to know that I’m definitely a playmaker.’

Pickens, a second-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2022, also said he ‘would love to’ remain in Dallas.

‘But when you can’t control it,’ he added, ‘you kind of just hope for the best.’

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has already expressed a desire to retain Pickens.

‘I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him,’ Jones told his team’s website.

‘He’s better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time.’

Dallas wideout CeeDee Lamb has three years left on a four-year, $136 million extension.

MILAN — Police fired tear gas and used water canons to disperse demonstrators Saturday, Feb. 7 near a Winter Olympics venue, according to the Associated Press and a travel alert issued by international security company Global Guardian.

The confrontation was brief and occurred at the end of a peaceful march by thousands against the environmental impact of the Games and the presence of U.S. agents in Italy, the AP reported. The incident took place near the Santagiulia Olympic ice hockey rink.

At least five demonstrators were arrested on Marocchetti and Monpiani in Milan as of Friday afternoon, according to Global Guardian’s security alert. The company cited local media as the source of details.

‘Anticipate heightened security and associated disruptions in the affected area over the next several hours,’ the security alert reads. ‘Plot route bypasses. Avoid all protests.’

It was unclear if AP and Guardian Global were citing the same protest, but both reports included similar details and locations.

Reuters reported demonstrators carried placards in protest of the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics carried placards. One placard, according to Reuters, read, ‘I want a state governed by the rule of law, not by force and privileges for the rich, ICE out.’

‘Normally, we do put a notice up to the delegation, just letting them know where the protests are,’ U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Chief Security Officer Nicole Deal said. ‘So when they’re reading about the city, they’re aware.’

That led to U.S. Figure Skating, USA Hockey and U.S. Speedskating changing the name of their hospitality venue from The Ice House to The Winter House.

‘Our hospitality concept was designed to be a private space free of distractions where athletes, their families, and friends can come together to celebrate the unique experience of the Winter Games,’ the NGBs said in a joint statement provided to USA TODAY Sports, which was the first to report the change. ‘This name captures that vision and connects to the season and the event.’

USA TODAY Sports reporters Jordan Mendoza and Christine Brennan contributed to this report.

Kirk Cousins’ time in Atlanta appears to have run its course.

Cousins is expected to be released by the Falcons before the NFL’s new league year begins in March, a person close to the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

ESPN was the first to report the news.

Cousins’ contract was amended at the end of the regular season to pave the way for his imminent release from the Falcons, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the of the sensitivity of the matter.

USA TODAY Sports interviewed Cousins this week in San Francisco at Super Bowl 60’s radio row. The quarterback was measured and vague about his playing future with the Falcons.

Cousins began the 2025 season as a backup to Michael Penix Jr. However, the veteran quarterback took over as Atlanta’s starter when Penix suffered a season-ending torn ACL in November. Cousins registered eight starts and played in 10 games. He averaged 172 passing yards per game and threw 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He went 5-3 in his eight starts.

The Falcons originally signed Cousins to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million in 2024. But Cousins lost his starting job to Penix before the end of the 2024 season.

Cousins’ expected release from Atlanta currently makes Penix the early front-runner to resume the starting role. But the Falcons’ new regime has been noncommittal about Penix being the team’s starting quarterback following an up-and-down campaign.

The biggest question for Falcons president of football Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham and new coach Kevin Stefanski is who’s going to be Atlanta’s starting quarterback in 2026? The new regime, however, has apparently figured out it won’t be Cousins.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

• Madison Chock and Evan Bates helped Team USA take the lead in the figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
• The ice dance pair faces a demanding schedule of four programs in six days, more than many of their competitors.
• Chock and Bates are aiming for an individual ice dance gold medal in addition to a team medal.
• Despite the challenging schedule, the duo feels mentally and physically prepared for the competition ahead.

MILAN — You wouldn’t have guessed Madison Chock and Evan Bates just put on another season-best performance, no less on the biggest stage at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The couple were calm and unceremonious with reporters after their free dance in the team event on Saturday, Feb. 7, which put the U.S. in first place with a five-point lead heading into the medal-deciding final day on Sunday.

Were they not happy? Far from it. Were they mad? Doesn’t seem so.

So what was it? Maybe it’s because they have their eyes set on a bigger prize, but are working through a gauntlet to get to it. Simply put, they’re buckling up for arguably the biggest week of their lives.

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Chock and Bates by far have the most challenging schedule of any figure skaters in the Games: Four programs in six days, including back-to-back duty in the team event on Feb. 6 and 7. Now, they have 48 hours until the ice dance competition opens Feb. 9 with the rhythm dance and concludes on Feb. 11 with the free dance. Their performances in the team event set up Team USA for its second straight gold medal.

“Our team is incredibly strong, arguably as strong as it’s ever been, and I have the utmost faith in them,” Chock said. “I’ll be proud of them no matter what the outcome is.”

But the most decorated ice dance pair in U.S. figure skating history wants more than a team medal in Milan — they want the ice dance gold medal, the one achievement they’ve been chasing for years. But while they did so much heavy lifting for their team, their competition got extra rest.

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron (France) and Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (Great Britain) didn’t skate the free dance because France and Great Britain didn’t qualify for the final. Canada did made the final, but it opted to go with Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha for the free dance, saving the legs of Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. They’ll all be well-rested for the ice dance while Chock and Bates will still be recovering.

On paper, it seems like Chock and Bates are at a disadvantage. However, if you’ve seen this duo at all this season, you know that’s far from the case.

“We came into the event knowing that that was a possibility,” Chock said. “We’re mentally and physically prepared.”

For as crowded and deep the ice dance field is, the Americans don’t see it as a competition with others. Bates said they are just competing with themselves.

And every single time, they keep on winning.

“It’s just a progression,” he said. “It’s very cliche, but it is our mindset, and it is our approach, and it’s how we have stayed focused, and it’s how we’ve been training.”

A whirlwind of a week halfway done, but the job is far from over. It’s the biggest challenge of their careers, and this pair is ready for it.

The WNBA made concessions in two areas in its latest collective bargaining agreement proposal, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA Today Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing negotiations.

Coming off a three-hour meeting on Monday in New York, the WNBA promised it would have a counter to the proposal the players’ union submitted six weeks ago. That offer came on Friday evening.

In the Friday proposal, the WNBA made a concession on team-provided housing, the person with knowledge of the situation said. In the revised agreement, one bedroom apartments will be available for players making the minimum salary. The two developmental players on each roster would be provided with studio apartments.

The players’ union also voiced setting a standard for team facilities that would be codified in the new CBA, the person with knowledge of the situation said.

Nothing has changed in terms of revenue sharing or player salaries. The WNBA is offering more than 70% of league and team net revenue. The players’ union has asked for 30% of gross revenue. The salary cap would be $5.65 million per year, rising with league revenues.

The WNBA offer continues to include a maximum $1 million base salary, with a projected revenue-sharing component that raises players’ max total earnings to more than $1.3 million in 2026. The league’s maximum salary would grow to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement, which would end in 2031. The minimum salary would be more than $250,000 and average salary more than $530,000.

The players’ union plans to meet with leadership to review and assess the league’s counterproposal, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

The regular-season is supposed to tipoff May 8. But before that can happen the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will have an expansion draft. Free agency and the WNBA draft also need to take place.

WNBA players authorized the union executive committee to ‘call a strike when necessary’ in December.

‘Having the strike on the table is something that we’re very much aware of, but there’s so many more conversations that have to happen,’ Ogwumike told the AP on Friday. ‘You know, we’re not just going to say, ‘Hey, today’s the day (we’ll strike).’ You know, I think that’s what we’re demonstrating right now is negotiating in good faith.’

• American snowboarder Ollie Martin, 17, finished fourth in the men’s big air final at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
• Martin was pushed off the podium by China’s Su Yiming on the final jump, a move that created some controversy.
• He competed with a broken arm sustained just two weeks prior to the Games.

LIVIGNO, Italy – The first competitive controversy of the 2026 Winter Olympics manifested in Team USA missing out on the chance to earn its first medal on the first official day of the Games.

Richards, though, was not wrong. The qualifiers two nights ago here at Livigno Snow Park were more enthralling. An event that gives boarders three chances to do their biggest trick turned into a toned-down display.

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But it gave Martin a real shot at the podium, a position he held until China’s Su Yiming – the reigning gold-medalist in the event – did another switch backside 1900 melon. Yiming caught himself on the ground with both hands, but that didn’t matter to the judges. They rewarded him for going big with a score that allowed him to leapfrog Martin, pushing him off the podium and giving the bronze to Yiming.

“We’re not trying to compete just on difficulty level or who is the best,” Yiming said. “ … It’s about being able to have the best tactics and strategy, other than just challenging yourself to the highest difficulty. Consistency is the most important. I have really prepared many high-difficulty tricks in competition. And I did finish them in my previous training. It’s a pity that I could not present it today.”

Martin declined to speak to reporters, with U.S. Ski and Snowboard saying he was disappointed in the result. A trio of U.S.-based reporters managed to wrangle his mother Anne.

Anne didn’t want to say anything about Yiming’s final jump and subsequent score.

Instead, she passed on an opportunity to acknowledge a fantastic finish to his Olympic debut, as he was the lone American of the four slopestyle/big air members to advance to finals. He qualified ninth and was in 10th going into his last run, when a frontside double 1800 mute propelled him into second.

“I was surprised he was still there for so long,” Anne said.

She added: “I have an incredible amount of faith in Ollie. He knows what he’s doing. He’s very smart about it.”

Anne said it was harder for Martin to make the Olympics and that competing here is more of a celebration. She knew that the frontside double 1800 was in the bag, because he grabs with his left arm – and he broke his right arm two weeks ago while training for the X Games in Aspen, Colorado. He underwent surgery the next day and eventually made his way over to Italy.

“I think he’s doing great,” she said.

Martin is certainly a shy kid who possesses negative interest in the spotlight at this point in his career, it seems.

“He’s just quiet,” Anne said.

But it definitely would have been nice to hear from the kid about that.

“If he was going to do his pullback (1600 – 4.5 revolutions), that would have been crazy and dangerous,” Anne said.

Japan’s Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata finished with gold and silver, respectively. Martin will compete next in the men’s slopestyle competition. Qualifying begins Monday, Feb. 16.

Martin owns a snowboarding figure that he brings with him on trips and puts it through flips and tricks to help with his own visualization on jumps and rails. It made the trip to the Alps with him.

“My mom made me bring it,” Martin told reporters during a pre-Games news conference. “Honestly, that toy was really helpful for me. I could use it to visualize. I was able to come up with some tricks with that toy.”

A relative newcomer, Martin placed second in big air at the Youth Winter Games in Gangwon, South Korea, in 2024. Last year, he finished third in both big air and slopestyle at the world championships in Switzerland. His best finish this season came at a World Cup in Steamboat Springs, Colorado (third in big air).

Then came qualifying for the Olympics, then finals – and nearly a podium.

“It’s all going to plan so far,” he said. “It’s really great.”

Imagine how a medal would have fit into said plan.

MILAN — The first batch of medals were awarded Feb. 7 to competitors at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Alpine skiing took center stage as the world turned its eyes to the slopes of Livigno for the men’s downhill medal event (won by Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen) and the slopes of Cortina for the final women’s downhill training run.

Jessie Diggins took the course for the women’s 10K Skiathlon and finished eighth. Snowboarding will also handed out its first medals of these Games in the men’s Big Air which saw Japan’s Kira Kimura take the gold after he landed a 1980 spin in his third run for a 90.50 score.

United States’ Madison Chock and Evan Bates lit up the rink during the ice dance free dance and the U.S. women’s hockey team pitched a shutout, defeating Finland, 5-0.

USA TODAY Sports is bringing you the latest updates, news and Olympics results from here in Italy.

Canada tops Switzerland in women’s ice hockey preliminary round

Canada defeated Switzerland, 4-0, in the women’s ice hockey preliminary round for Group A at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena in the heart of Milano Ice Park.

Canada dominated the match behind goals from four different players. Natalie Spooner scored at the 27′ mark of the second period, assisted by Marie-Philip Poulin and Sarah Fillier. Fillier scored in the third period at the 44′ mark on an assist from Renata Fast and Daryl Watts.

Canada scored at the 53′ and 56′ marks on goals from Julia Gosling and Watts, respectively. Gosling was assisted by Erin Ambrose and Claire Thompson. Watts’ score was assisted by Sarah Nurser and Thompson.

The preliminary round continues for Canada when they face Czechia on Monday, Feb. 9 at 9:10 p.m. CET (3:10 p.m. ET; 12:10 p.m. PT).

Madison Chock and Evan Bates dazzle during free dance

United States’ Madison Chock and Evan Bates finished the figure skating free dance team event finals in first place after scoring a 133.23 and 10 team points on Day 2 of the competition. Together the skate pair and couple dazzled as they mirrored each others’ movements. They dipped, they flipped and moved in synchronization while the cameras captured their smiles and fierce facial expressions.

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, representing Italy the host country of the Winer Olympics, logged a 124.22 score with nine points towards their team.

Canadian figure skating pair Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha landed in third place finishing with a 120.90 socre and eight team points.

Kira Kimura takes gold in men’s snowboarding big air

Japan’s Kira Kimura landed a 1980 spin in his third run for a 90.50 score to bump him into first place and overtake his fellow countryman Ryoma Kimata for gold in men’s snowboarding big air.

Kimata entered the third run in first place, but crashed out on the landing in the third run. But a total score of 171.50 from the first two runs was enough for Kimata to lock up silver.

China’s Su Yiming needed at least 74.75 in the third run to get on the podium. He finished with a 80.75 to overtake 17-year-old American Ollie Martin for the bronze medal. Team USA just misses out on its first medal of the 2026 Winter Games.

Max Langenhan wins men’s singles luge second run

Germany’s Max Langenhan has now won each of the first two runs in the men’s singles run, finishing the second run with a time of 1:45.826, a new track record.

Rounding out the top three are Austian Jonas Mueller and Italian Dominik Fischnaller. The home country has three total athletes in the top 20 through the first two runs with Fischnaller, Leon Felderer (fifth) and Alex Gufler (18th).

Jonathan Gustafson (11th) and Matthew Greiner (17th) are both in the top 20 for Team USA.

The third run will take place on Monday at 11 a.m. ET.

Francesca Lollobrigida wins gold, sets Olympic record in women’s 3000m speedskating

Italian speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida took gold for the host country in the women’s 3000m on Saturday at Milano Speed Skating Stadium, finishing with an Olympic record-breaking time of 3:54.28.

Ragne Wiklund from Norway finished 2.26 behind Lollobrigida for silver and Candadian Valerie Maltais took bronze, finishing with a time of 3:56.93.

Obamas send good vibes to Team USA

Barack and Michelle Obama posted a shared message of encouragement for American athletes competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics just underway in Italy.

‘To all the athletes representing @TeamUSA: I’m so proud of you,’ Barack Obama wrote on X about the Milano Cortina 2026 games. ‘Your talent and perseverance have brought you to this moment, and Michelle and I will be joining Americans from across the country cheering you on.’

The post was seen by 41 million people as of Saturday morning. — Josh Meyer

Women’s Hockey: End of second period: USA 4, Finland 0

Hilary Knight, who missed a shift at the end of the first period, came back in the second period and tied the U.S. Olympic women’s hockey scoring record. Her 14th career Olympic goal gave the USA its 4-0 lead. It was the USA’s second power-play goal of the game. Taylor Heise and Megan Keller also scored in the period. Keller has three points and Laila Edwards has two assists for the game. Shots are 36-9 USA through two periods. — Mike Brehm

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ live coverage of USA vs. Finland women’s hockey here.

Greta Myers makes Olympic debut in speedskating

MILAN — United States speedskater Greta Myers made her Olympic debut in the women’s 3000m on Saturday at Milano Speed Skating Stadium, where she finished with a time of 4:13.46.

Only time will tell how Myers’ time ranks in the field, but she won’t make the podium.

There will be more chances for Myers to contend for a medal. In addition to the 3000m, Myers will compete in the women’s 1500m, women’s 5000m, and women’s Mass Start. — Cydney Henderson

Trio of Americans advance to men’s free ski slopestyle finals

LIVIGNO, Italy – Mac Forehand’s second run of a 73.96 to put himself into the men’s free ski slopestyle finals, along with defending gold-medalist Alex Hall (71.63) of the USA.

Forehand was in 24th after the first run but went big on the second with nothing to lose. He finished sixth overall. The top 12 of the 29 competitors advanced to Monday’s finals.

Hall entered the second run in fifth and did not improve his score with a similar 68.98, good enough to finish eighth and make it through.

Konnor Ralph had a long wait on the bubble but survived in 10th place (68.91). The other American, Troy Podmilsak, will set his eyes on big air, which is his specialty. — Chris Bumbaca

Canadian figure skater asks professor for extension

Canadian figure skater Maddie Schizas shared the email she sent her sociology professor asking for a ‘short extension.’

Competing in the Winter Olympics seems like a pretty good reason to have the request granted and she including a link to the press release as proof of her participation.

Bruins’ Pavel Zacha out of Olympics with injury

Frida Karlsson wins cross-country skiathlon; Jessie Diggins 8th

Sweden’s Frida Karlsson won the gold medal in the women’s cross-country skiathlon, crossing the finish line in 53:45.2. It’s her first individual Olympic gold medal. Her teammate Ebba Andersson took silver, finishing in 54:36.2. 

Heidi Weng’s bronze medal in the event made Norway the winningest team in Olympic history for women’s cross-country skiing.

Meanwhile, Jessie Diggins, the most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history, finished the event in eighth (56:06.3). 

Jessie Diggins competing for first medal of 2026 Olympics

MILAN — Jessie Diggins’ fourth and final Olympic Games is officially underway.

Diggins, the most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history, is competing in the women’s 10km + 10km skiathlon on Saturday at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme and she’s looking to add to her collection.

The 34-year-old has three Olympic medals. She won Team USA’s first Olympic gold in cross country in team sprint alongside Kikkan Randall at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Diggins won a silver in the 30k freestyle at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and became the first American to win an individual sprint medal with a bronze in women’s sprint. She has finished in the top 10 in all six women’s events in both 2018 and 2022. — Cydney Henderson

Franjo von Allmen wins first gold medal of Games

BORMIO, Italy — Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen reduced the home country cheers, but he didn’t silence them completely. Two Italian skiers won medals behind von Allmen’s gold in the men’s downhill at Stelvio Ski Centre, the first medal event of the Winter Olympics.Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris of Italy cracked the top three on back-to-back runs in front of roaring Italian fans. But neither could overtake von Allmen’s time of 1:51.61.Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Team USA’s best hope in the event, struggled to post a 1:53.65, well back of the leaders in 18th place. Kyle Negomir (1:53.20) posted the best time of the four Americans in the field for a 10-place finish. — Gentry Estes

Lindsey Vonn cruises in downhill run

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn was shaky in a couple of spots, including near the bottom of the course where she also had an error Friday. But she again showed no obvious sign of her wrecked left knee, and she shaved two full seconds off her time, finishing today’s run in 1:38.28.

She’s currently third, 0.37 seconds behind leader and American teammate Breezy Johnson, with approximately 20 skiers to go.

Vonn gave a small fist pump when she finished – as if to say, check – before walking through the mixed zone and stopping briefly to tap Johnson on the shoulder. ‘Nice run,’ she told her teammate, before moving along.

Medals will be awarded in women’s downhill on Sunday, Feb. 8. — Nancy Armour

Avery Krumme, Eileen Gu advance in free ski slopestyle

LIVIGNO, Italy — Avery Krumme put down a beastly second run in the women’s free ski slopestyle qualifiers to lock up her spot in Monday’s finals.

The 17-year-old, who switched her competing nationality from Canada to the U.S. last year, was rewarded with a 64.93 to put herself in fourth place. The top 12 of 26 competitors advance to finals.

China’s Eileen Gu avoided a disastrous start to her Olympics by putting down a 75.30, second place, after she fell early in her first of two qualifying runs. Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud, the reigning gold-medalist in the event, topped the competition with a 79.15.  — Chris Bumbaca

Eileen Gu falls in first ski slopestyle run

LIVIGNO, Italy — China’s Eileen Gu went down on her first run of the women’s free ski slopestyle qualifications, meaning her second run has become all-important if she wants to have a chance at three medals in the three free ski disciplines at the 2026 Games, matching what she did four years ago in Beijing.

Gu’s first run lasted less than 15 seconds after she lost her balance at the top of the run. The American-born Stanford student hit the first rail backside but couldn’t keep her balance after turning around.  — Chris Bumbaca

NHL players arrive at Olympics

While NHL owners may grumble about the possibility of injuries, it’s a win for the sport to have the game’s best players back at the Olympics for the first time since 2014. And there are a lot of NHL players here, 149 to be exact. They all arrive early Saturday morning and start practicing within hours.

Check out the full list of NHL players at the 2026 Winter Olympics and read about their logistical nightmare from longtime Red Wings reporter Helene St. James.

Lindsey Vonn’s 2nd training run today

Vonn posted to her Instagram account early Saturday that she was feeling good after her first training Friday. She then listed the time of her second training today (11:30 a.m. in Italy), her bib number (15) and signed off with, ‘See you there.’

Vonn is now eligible to do the downhill at the Milano Cortina Olympics, having completed her training run without any issues. She made a small mistake at the bottom of the course and wasn’t going anywhere close to top speed; her time of 1:40.33 was the 11th-fastest of the day and third-best of the Americans.

Read the full story from Nancy Armour.

First medal event of Games is men’s downhill

BORMIO, Italy ― Good morning from the Stelvio Ski Centre, where the first medals of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics are to be awarded here in a few hours.

The men’s downhill competition begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time, and it’ll include four Americans.

Of them, Ryan Cochran-Siegle (2022 silver medalist in the Super-G) is expected to have the best chance to medal. He’ll be up 13th. Team USA’s Bryce Bennett is up third, while teammates Kyle Negomir (No. 27) and Sam Morse (No. 29) will be among the final skiers.

Each of the 36 competitors gets only one run — at very high speed — to produce a winning time.

Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt (No. 7) is atop the world rankings and considered one of the favorites, along with Italy’s Dominik Paris (No. 12) and Giovanni Franzoni (No. 11) and Switzerland’s Franjo Von Allmen (No. 8).

Olympics schedule today

All times Eastern.

• 4:05 a.m.: Curling – Mixed Doubles Round Robin | Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • GBR vs. CAN; SWE vs. SUI
• 5:30 a.m.: Alpine Skiing – Men’s Downhill | medal event | Stelvio Ski Centre (Bormio, Valtellina)
• 5:30 a.m.: Alpine Skiing – Women’s Downhill 3rd Official Training | Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre (Cortina)
• 6:10 a.m.: Ice Hockey – Women’s Preliminary | GER vs. JPN | Milan Rho Ice Hockey Arenas
• 7 a.m.: Cross-Country Skiing – Women’s 10km + 10 km Skiathlon | medal event | Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
• 7:30 a.m.: Luge – Women’s Singles Official Training Runs 3 & 4 | Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 8:35 a.m.: Curling – Mixed Doubles Round Robin | Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • EST vs. NOR; CZE vs. KOR; SWE vs. ITA; GBR vs. USA
• 8:40 a.m.: Ice Hockey – Women’s Preliminary | SWE vs. ITA | Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
• 10 a.m.: Speed Skating – Women’s 3000m | medal event | Milano Speed Skating Stadium (Rho, Milan)
• 10:40 a.m.: Ice Hockey – Women’s Preliminary | USA vs. FIN | Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena
• 11 a.m.: Luge – Men’s Singles Runs 1 & 2 | Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
• 1:45 p.m.: Figure Skating – Team Event  | Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
  • Team Event, Men’s Singles Short Program: 1:45 p.m.
  • Team Event, Ice Dance Free Dance:  4:05 p.m.
• 11:45 a.m.-3 p.m.: Ski Jumping – Women’s Normal Hill | Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
  • Trial round: 11:45 a.m.
  • First round: 12:45 p.m.
  • Medal round: 1:57 p.m. | medal event 
• 1:05 p.m.: Curling – Mixed Doubles Round Robin | Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • CAN vs. EST; CZE vs. SUI; NOR vs. ITA;  USA vs. KOR
• 1:30 p.m.: Snowboarding – Men’s Big Air | medal event  | Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
• 3:10 p.m.: Ice Hockey – Women’s Preliminary | SUI vs. CAN | Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena

Where is Winter Olympics 2026?

The Winter Olympics always sprawl, because of the need for mountains. But the Milano Cortina Games are the most geographically spread out in Olympic and Paralympic history, with a footprint just slightly smaller than the entire state of New Jersey.

2026 Winter Olympics TV schedule today

Peacock is streaming every event live today.

Stream Olympics on Peacock

MILAN — Ilia Malinin just did something that hasn’t been done at a 21st century Winter Olympics.

The ‘Quad God’ performed his first skate during the team event Saturday, Feb. 7 with the men’s short program, and he became the first skater since 1998 to perform a backflip at the Games, and the first since it was unbanned. Malinin closed his performance with the stunning move than wowed the crowd at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. However, Malinin finished second in the event with a score of 98.00 after Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama pulled off a stunning routine that received 108.67 points.

The United States still leads the team competition with 34 points after Malinin’s performance, which earned the U.S. nine points. Japan’s 10 points for Kagiyama’s first-place finish put the country in second overall with 33 points. Host Italy is in third with 28 points.

Malinin said performing the move made him realize the magnitude of the event.

‘It was fun,’ he said. ‘I mean, come on, the audience just roared, and they were just out of control. Really that just helped me feel the gratitude of the Olympic stage.’

The first executed backflip at the Winter Olympics occurred in the 1976 Games in Innsbruck, Austria by American skater Terry Kubicka. However, the International Skating Union banned it the following year as it deemed the move too dangerous.

It was done by French skater Surya Bonaly at the 1998 Winter Olympics, landing it on one blade, but the move was illegal and she received a deduction for it.

No one had attempted it in the Olympics since then, but hope was renewed when the ISU made the move legal in 2024, paving the way for Malinin to perform it when he made his Olympic debut. His execution of it made him the third ever person to perform it at the Winter Olympics, and first to legally to do so in 50 years.

Even though it was the typical sensational Malinin outing, it still made for a thunderous entrance to Olympics for the American prodigy.

‘I try to enjoy every single moment and be grateful for everything, because there’s a lot of unexpected things that can happen in life,’ Malinin said. ‘I’m taking everything to heart.’

MILAN — Everything about Ilia Malinin’s Olympic debut was off Saturday night. From the ice to the interviews in the mixed zone, he didn’t quite seem to be himself.

What began as an uncharacteristically shaky, second-place performance in the men’s short program of the team figure skating competition ended with a bizarre comment to journalists in which he said he came into the team competition “with only 50% of my full potential.”

“So that’s what I felt like here today, that’s the way I pace myself, leading up to the individual (men’s) event,” he added.

An hour later, Ari Zakarian, Malinin’s agent, exclusively told USA TODAY Sports that Malinin didn’t mean to infer that he was giving only 50% of his energy to the team event.

“He didn’t mean it the way it sounded,” Zakarian said. “He is pacing himself because of the few days ahead of him, but he always gives 100%. This is a chess game, the team competition and then the men’s event. You have to be smart and be prepared for a long week.” 

Malinin will also skate the men’s long program for the United States Sunday on the final night of the team competition, as first reported by USA TODAY Sports. The two-time world champion and four-time national champion has far more experience on the international stage than either of the other two men on the U.S. team, Andrew Torgashev or Max Naumov. The United States is ahead of second-place Japan by five points with three long programs in pairs, women and men yet to come, but that margin is expected to tighten. 

Malinin then has a quick turnaround to the more important men’s individual event Tuesday and Friday. He is the strong gold medal favorite in that event.

However, Malinin, the 21-year-old self-proclaimed “Quad God,” lost to Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama by a significant amount in the team men’s event Saturday: 108.67 points for Kagiyama to 98 for Malinin. Kagiyama, 22, won the silver medal in the men’s individual event at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Said Malinin of the evening’s developments: “Of course that wasn’t the perfect, ideal, 100 percent skate that I would’ve wanted to have, but for the standard I set myself today, I think I achieved that.”

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